Personal Training

PALEO RECIPES

For more information on how to follow a paleo diet, have a look at my blogpost on the subject - step by step method to go paleo!How do I top the paleo celebration cake I made for my daughter, Liv's birthday this year? That was the problem I faced for Zack's birthday today - I'm not the world's greatest cook and I'm a bit slapdash but the paleo rainbow cake I made for Liv I think was the best cake I've ever made!

I'm not sure I topped it with Zack's paleo celebration cake but it's not bad and tastes yummy!

Paleo Chocolate and Raspberry Checkerboard CakeIngredients:

For the raspberry sponge:400g creamed coconut (aka coconut manna or coconut butter)6-7 eggs1 cups of honey2 tsp baking powder300g raspberries1 tsp vanilla extractFor the Chocolate sponge:400g creamed coconut (aka coconut manna or coconut butter)6-7 eggs1 cups of honey2 tsp baking powder200g dark chocolate, melted1/2 cup cocoa powderFor both cakes, melt the coconut in hot water in the packet or in a bain marie if it comes in a jar.Add the baking powder and one egg at a time, whisking each one in - it will seize to begin with but will loosen up eventually. Add the honey and mix in well.Add the other ingredients.Split mixture between two lined sandwich tins and bake at 170 degrees until the sponge bounces back and a skewer comes out clean.Allow to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting.While the cakes are cooling, make the ganaches.White chocolate ganache: (not strictly paleo but...)200g white chocolate25g butter or coconut oil50ml coconut cream50g creamed coconutMelt chocolate with the coconut and butter or oil in a bain marie, add the coconut cream once melted, this should stiffen the mixture.If the mixture separates, the addition of one egg yolk has enough lecithin in it to bring it back together.

Using cake rings or cutters, cut the cakes into concentric circles, 3 or 4 will do.Use the white chocolate ganache to coat the inside one of the largest chocolate cake rings.Place one of the second largest raspberry sponge rings inside the chocolate ring.Coat the inside of this ring with white chocolate ganache.Place one of the second smallest chocolate cake rings inside this one and coat the inside with white chocolate ganache.Place one of the smallest raspberry sponge circles in the centre.Coat the top of the cake you have constructed so far with white chocolate ganache.Starting this time with one of the largest raspberry sponge rings, repeat the process.Continue until you have used up all the cake rings.Cover the entire cake with the dark chocolate ganache and smooth with a palette knife.Top with fresh raspberries and add a ring of them at the base.

At this point I would like to kick in my nerdy art school training. There may be 7 colours in the rainbow rhyme but there are actually only 6 individual colours in the spectrum. Indigo? It's just blue! So I only did 6 layers, but feel free to add as many layers as you like, it's your cake!

I used Dr. Oetker gel colours in red, orange, yellow, green and blue and I mixed the red and blue to make purple.

Bake in a moderate oven until the sponge bounces back when pressed gently.

Allow to cool completely.

The filling between the layers is not really paleo - but you could use my recipe for paleo truffles as a filling to be 100% paleo.

Filling between layers:

500g melted white chocolate (use dark chocolate to avoid the higher sugar and dairy content of white chocolate)
Mix with 3 heaped tbsp coconut cream - mix only until combined, do not over mix as the ganache will split.

When cooled and thickened a little, spread between each layer.

Cake covering:

600g dark chocolate
Mix with 4 heaped tbsp coconut cream - mix only until combined, do not over mix as the ganache will split.

Once cooled and thickened a little, spread over the cake using a round ended cake spatula.

Grind half the coconut, pumpkin and sunflower seeds finely and add to the whole seeds in a large baking tray.
Add the coconut oil, honey, cocoa powder and zest and juice of the oranges.
Bake in the oven at around 170 degrees - stirring regularly - until golden
Toast the remaining coconut until golden and add to the granola with the raisins.
Serve with chilled coconut milk thinned with water and warm berries.

This is no protein with it but if you are like us and eat meat, fish and or eggs for every meal, a meal off does you no harm!

Melt honey and coconut oil, mix all ingredients - chill for half an hour.
Roll into balls and flatten - bake until edges just start to turn. Leave to cool. makes a crispy on th outside, chewy on the inside cookie.

Grind seeds and coconut up until fine. Add to almonds.
Add salt, baking podewr and coconut oil, mix. Add eggs until a very thick batter is made. Top with a sprinkle of chia seeds, poppy seeds or sesame seeds. Bake in rounded dollops until golden. Serve with butter if primal or coconut oil if paleo. Good with paleo jam (berries and honey boiled furiously for a while).

Method
Soak the fruit for both layers of cake in brandy overnight.
The next day, mix together the light fruit cake ingredients and put into a lined loaf tin
In a food processor, mix together the marzipan - almond and honey - and roll out and lay on top of the light fruit cake layer.
Mix together the ingredients for the dark layer and lay on top of the marzipan.
bake at 160 degrees until golden and a skewer comes out just clean.

If you like, before you put it in the oven you can make a pattern of nuts and dates on the top and glaze it with honey as it comes out of the oven.

Melt dark chocolate, cocoa powder and coconut oil together in a heatproof bwl over hot water - don't allow the water to boil.

Using a hand held mixer, mix the eggs, honey, water and vanilla until combined, add the cooled but still liquid chocolate mixture. Slowly, add the dry ingredients mixing as you go.

Pour into a lined cale tin and bake for 30-35 mins at 165 degrees.

Make two of these

To make the chocolate mousse filling:
While the cake is cooking, chop 200g of dark chocolate and add to 1 and 1/2 cups of warm water to melt. Add 3/4 cup of honey. Place to bowl into a pan of iced water and whisk the chocolate mixture until it is the consistency of double cream, mix a tiny bit more. This is now dairy free chocolate mousse! Set aside until the cakes are completely cool.

To make the marshmallow topping:
Using a hand held mixer, whisk two eggs whites until stiff enough so they don't fall out of the bowl when tipped upside down.

Soak 200g of gelatine sheets in one cup of cold water.

Boil 1 cup of honey with 1/2 cup water until it is 245 degrees - use a sweet thermometer.

Pour gently into the egg whites whisking as you go.

Add the gelatine to the still hot pan the honey syrup was in and melt - pour into the egg mixture slowly, whisking as you go.

Pour into a tin lined with baking parchment and chill until set.

When set, cut into squares with a greased knife or greased scissors.

Putting the cake together:
Use a palette knife to spread the mousse onto the bottom layer of the cake when completely cool.

Arrange squares of marshmallow on top of the other cake and grill until it begins to melt.

Place the top of the cake on the bottom of the cake and chill.

Chicken Goujons - Paleo Nuggets

Use chicken or turkey strips or diced chicken or turkey.

Quantities are approximate.

Ingredients:1 chicken oxo (not paleo - if you are strict, use a bit of salt instead)1 cup of ground almonds - I used almonds I ground myself so they were a little chunkier and a nice texture1 tbsp of coconut flour1 tbsp chia seeds

dip the chicken or turkey strips in a beaten egg and then into the almond/coconut mixture on both sides. Fry on a low heat in a little coconut oil until golden.

Press into an oiled flan tin - to get it nice and flat and avoid your fingers getting all sticky, place a sheet of cling film over the top of the pastry dough and press down with a flat tin or plate.

Prick with a fork to avoid bubbles and bake in the oven until golden.

For the pie filling:Flesh of one average sized pumpkin, boiled for a bit. Drain and press out the liquid.Mix in the food processor with 2 tbsp honey, 2 eggs, half a tin of coconut cream and 1 tsp each of ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground mixed spice.

Pour into baked pie case and bake in the oven until the topping begins to turn golden and has set.

While they are cooking heat some honey in a pan and toast some desiccated coconut - careful it burns quickly.

Once the donuts are cooked, dip them in the honey and onto the sprinkles and put aside to cool.

The kids love these!

Best Ever Paleo Bread

I know it may not be the true paleo way but I need to make some paleo alternatives to what I used to eat in order to make this a sustainable way of life.
As I have stated in posts I've written, I'm not doing paleo because that's what our ancestors ate, I'm doing it to eliminate undesirable foods and ingredients. So, personally, I don't think it's the end of the world to make a few cakes and breads from the ingredients I have left myself with.

There is nothing in this bread that isn't paleo.Ingredientsa mixture of seeds - I used:100g of sesame seeds100g hemp seeds100g golden linseeds100g pumpkin seeds

100g sunflower seeds
Blend these in the food processor for a minute or so.Add to 200g of ground almonds1 tsp baking powder1 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar1 tsp salt4 or 5 eggs
Bake in a lined loaf tin in the oven at around 160 degrees for around 15 minutes. it cooks quite quickly without burning, which is good.

It's great spread with coconut oil and marmite or home made paleo jam. It's also great toasted!

Paleo fruit jam

I made this in about 10 minutes to go with the bread - it's lovely.Tip a load of berries into a pan - I used frozen blueberries and strawberries but you can use any you like, fresh or frozen. I added a tablespoon or so of honey and boiled furiously until the juice thickened. Allow to cool and spread over paleo bread! Yummy!

Paleo Cashew and Raisin biscuits
These are expensive to make as they use 400g of cashew nuts but they are worth it! This is one of my favourite and most successful recipes!

Ingredients400g cashew nuts1 or 2 tsp of coconut oil1 heaped dessert spoon of set honey1 eggraisins
Put the cashew in the food processor and blend until it clumps into a ball - this can take some time as you may need to keep scraping the sides down. Once it clumps, if it feels a little dry, add a little coconut oil. Sometimes there is enough oil in the nuts, sometimes you need to add a little.

Then add the egg, honey, a pinch of salt and blend again. Tip into a bowl and mix in the raisins. The mixture is pretty sticky!

Roll little balls of the mixture in your hand and flatten on a greased baking tray and bake for around 8 minutes or until golden - watch them as they cook really quickly.

Sticky Chocolate Fudge BrownieI know that real brownies often have melted chocolate added but I wanted to make them without any refined sugar so I make the chocolate first, its a bit long-winded but the results are better than just adding cocoa!

Over a pan of hot (not boiling) water melt coconut oil, honey and coconut cream then add coca powder until it makes a thick paste - whisking as you go - you may need a little more or less than I have stated, more will give you a more bitter chocolate, less will give you a sweeter chocolate.

Add to other ingredients in a bowl and mix

Pour into a lined square cake tin and bake until to top is set and just cracks when you press it - best results if skewer doesn't quite come out clean.

Tastes better when allowed to cool completely as the coconut oil has a chance to set and the cake isn't so soft.

is may favourite cake EVER! The trouble is, being that it's made with sugar and flour, I really can eat half the cake all to myself in slices every half hour. My version contains no refined sugar and no flour and is richer, so one slice really is enough!

Mix all ingredients and split between three sandwich tims and bake until done - around 170 degrees for about 15 minutes - until the top springs back and a skewer comes out clean.

Allow cakes to cool COMPLETELY before icing.

Use 2 tins of coconut cream but do not use the liquid. Mix with 1 dessert spoon of honey and whisk with and electric whisk until creamy. Spread between the layers and on top.

If the coconut cream isn't stiff enough, you can add a little ground almond or ground coconut to thicken.

Chicken Curry with Paleo 'Rice'

I'm aware that most of my recipes are for sweet treats and this is because I'm not a very imaginative cook, so most of my dinners are meat, roasted or fried or grilled with veg that hasn't had an awful lot more interesting done to it. But I was asked on Twitter for a Paleo curry recipe, so I had a go...This is the result - my kids loved it, which is generally how I gauge the success of my recipes!Chicken1 large onionpinch of salt1 tsp ground cumin seeds1 tsp garam masala1 tsp ground coriander1 tsp turmeric1 inch of ginger, gratedgrated zest of 1 lime2 crushed garlic cloves1 small red chilli chopped - or more to taste4 chopped chicken breasts1/2 tin of coconut milk

Fry onion in coconut oil until soft, add spices, garlic, ginger and lime and cook for a few minutes, make sure it doesn't burn.
Add chopped chicken breasts and cook until golden and then add coconut milk and simmer

Fry the onion in a little coconut oil
add the spices and garlic and chopped pepper - cook for a couple of minutes
Add the rest of the veg and the coconut
Add a little hot water - enough to make a stock for the veg to bubble away in - don't let them boil dry.
Cook for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile...sort out the pale 'rice'

Add half a cauliflower in chunks to food process and chop until fine resembling rice.

Steam for 10 mins.

Serve!Paleo Marmite, Rosemary and Olive Scone Soda Bread

Sometimes it's nice to have something a little more than protein and fibrous carbs for lunch so I thought a savoury scone would go nicely with any meal.200g ground almonds2 tsp baking soda2 eggs2 tsp marmitechopped rosemarychopped olives - green work best but black are ok too.

Mix almonds, eggs and marmite into a dough, add the rosemary and roll into a ball.

Press flat - about an inch or so thick on a greased baking tray. Place the chopped olives in the middle then fold in the sides.

Form into a ball and press a little flatter - score sections and bake in the oven - 170 degrees - for around 15 mins or until golden.

Serve with olive oil for dipping.

Paleo Chocolate Hazelnut Raspberry Torte

We have been watching the Great British Bake Off and trying to recreate some of the recipes without using flour, sugar or dairy. This one has been particularly successful!

Put all the ingredients on a bowl and mix with a palette knife. It should resemble breadcrumbs. At this point, add cold water a tablespoon at a time and bring the mixture together with the palette knife to form a dough. wrap in cling film and chill while you prepare the chocolate hazelnut ganache.

For the Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache3/4 cup pf melted cocoa butter or coconut oil2 heaped dessert spoons of set honeyUsing a 400ml can of coconut milk, half of the cream from the top, not the liquid.50g smashed, toasted hazelnuts - leave them in quite big chunks50 - 75g of cocoa powder

Put the cocoa butter or coconut oil on a bowl over a pan of hot water - make sure it doesn't boil, you made need to keep turning the heat on and off, as you don't want to burn the chocolate and ruin the texture and flavour - it will go grainy and bitter if it burns. Add the honey and heat until melted. Add the coconut milk - 1/2 the cream from a 400ml can, not the liquid.

When this is all meted together, add the sifted cocoa a little at a time and whisk. Try not to over mix or the mixture may separate. If this happens, add the yolk of an egg and mix in then add a little more coconut cream and it should come back together. Add the hazelnuts and mix in. take from the heat and set aside to cool.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and press into a greased tart tin. make sure it is an even thickness along the base and up the sides. Bake blind in the oven - around 160 degrees - for about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. there is no need to use baking beans as the mixture won't rise.

For the Creme Patissiere8 egg yolks2 heaped dessert spoons of set honeyUsing a 400 ml can of coconut milk, all the cream from the top, no liquid.

Put the cream onto boil.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and honey together until pale golden and fluffy.
Take the milk from the boil and after 1 minute pour slowly onto the egg mixture, whisking as you go. Return to the pan and bring back to the boil and then whisk for a minute. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.

Once the pastry and chocolate ganache are cool, spread the chocolate onto the pastry with a spatula. When the creme patissiere is cool, spread it over the top of the chocolate hazelnut ganache and top with raspberries. Chill and bring out half an hour before ready to serve.

Paleo Chocolate TrufflesI used to make hand made Belgian Chocolates. It's a great hobby to do well as it means you need zero personality as everyone wants to be your friend. I'm not even kidding.

So, my love of chocolates will not be constrained by paleo - where there's a will, there's a way and I find, with chocolate, there's generally a lot of will! (Funny that it doesn't stretch to will-power - good job these chocs are guilt-free, then eh?)

Toast some chopped nuts - almonds or hazelnuts work best - set aside

Begin with a cup of melted cocoa butter or coconut oil in a bowl over a pan of hot water - be very careful not to let the water boil as it will burn the chocolate and give it a nasty texture and bitter flavour.

Add a couple of dessert spoons of set honey and melt it. You will find that the honey and the oil do not mix.
Once the honey is all melted, add four dessert spoons of coconut cream - the thick stuff at the top of the can of coconut milk - try to leave the liquid out.

You should find that this acts as an emulsifier and the honey and oil mix nicely now.

Slowly add sifted cocoa powder, whisking it in as you go. keep adding until you f=get a tick paste - try not to over mix as this can lead to separation - if this happens, add an egg yolk, mix in then add a little more coconut cream and it should come together again.

Add the nuts and mix in.

Leave to cool.

Once cool - chill in the fridge until firm enough to form into little balls of chocolatey goodness - alternatively, spred out on baking paper and chill, then cut into little bars.

Keep chilled - but they won't last long!

Paleo Muesli

One of my concerns about going paleo was missing Bircher muesli that my kids really love! If you don't know Bircher muesli, it is oats soaked in fruit juice over night and then mixed with Greek yoghurt the next morning, with the addition of grated apple and nuts and some sort of warm berry compote - that's how we made it any way.So, missing Bircher muesli, I came up with this, dairy-free, grain-free alternative - the kids loved it, which means it must be OK! I haven't included quantities as it doesn't really matter - you make it how you like it.

Put some frozen berries into a pan with a dollop of honey and boil furiously until ready to serve.
Toast a mixture of seeds - I used sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and golden flax seeds.Toast some desiccated coconut - do this separately as it burns easily.
Toast some almonds or a mixture of your favourite nuts.
Grate one large carrot
Grate 4 apples - I used gala - skins and all.
Mix the grated apples and carrots with the seeds and coconut.
Top with the nuts and a coulpe of spoonfuls of berry mix.
Finish off with a dollop of coconut cream!

You could also add raisins - I didn't this time but I think I might next time.

Mix the almonds, honey and eggs until they are a smooth paste - if the mixture is too thick, add a bit of coconut milk or another egg.
Mix in the grated carrot.
Add the cherries and nuts - reerve a sprinkling of nuts for the top.
Pour into a lined loaf tin, ad the remaining nuts across the top and bake at around 180 for around 1/2 an hour until a skewer comes out clean and the top bounces back when pressed lightly.

Mix almonds, coconut and baking powder together, add eggs, banana and coconut milk and mix to a paste - if it needs to be a little thinner just add water a little at a time until a dropping consistency is achieved.

Heat some coconut oil in a pan and drop three or four spoonfuls into the pan. The trick is to cook them slowly as they are very delicate. I find the first few are rubbish and have to be eaten by the cook then you get into the swing of it. Keep them in a warm oven until ready to serve with the chocolate sauce

Add honey to coconut oil in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until melted. Add the cocoa a tablespoon at a time, whisking to remove lumps. Keep adding the cocoa until a thick saucy consistency is reached then add coconut milk and whisk. If the sauce becomes oily and begins to separate, add an egg yolk, the lecithin in the egg yolk is enough to bring it back together if you add a little coconut milk after it is mixed in.

Paleo Seed Crackers

A 150g bag of flax seeds
A 150g bag of sesame seeds
A 150g bag of hemp seeds
A 150g bag of sunflower seeds
A 150g bag of pumpkin seeds
A glug or two of extra virgin olive oil
An egg
A small handful of Greek basil leaves (normal basil or dried will do)
A good pinch of sea salt

Mix the seeds and divide in half. Toast one half carefully in a frying pan - be careful they don't burn.
Place the other half in the food processor and blitz until pretty finely ground.
Add the olive oil, egg, basil and salt and toasted seeds and whiz again.
Divide mixture in half and cook in two batches - roll out between baking paper on a baking sheet until as thin as you can make it.
Score into squares with a pizza cutter and bake until golden
Allow to cool before snapping into squares along score lines. Store in an airtight container.
Delicious with marmite or nut cheese (the name really doesn't do it justice!)

Use any mixture of fruit you like - my son chose banana and blueberry which was lovely, my daughter made one with cherries and peaches and another with pineapple and another with pears - she added cocoa to the cake mix for this one to make a pear and chocolate upside-down cake. Use the fruit you have chosen to make a pretty pattern on the bottom of a sandwich tin, lined and greased.

I misread Jennifer's comment as 400g ground almonds rather than 400 ground almonds. I'm not sure I understand - why would you count out 400 almonds? Do you have a recipe that asks for 400 almonds ground? = / otherwise, I'm pretty sure 400g almonds is going to make 400g grounds almonds...